It's quite possible I'm the only person who's never read The Hiding Place.
I heard about it enough to figure that I pretty much knew the story already, but even a few pages in I realized I had no idea.
For some reason it was my understanding that the war took place while Corrie Ten Boom was a girl. I always thought that made for a pretty amazing story--a young girl being willing to risk her life when she had so much ahead of her. And then I found out that Corrie was actually around 50 when she first got involved with the Dutch underground. And I actually think that makes it even more compelling.
It's often said that when we're young, there's not a care in the world. As we age, we tend to get more stuck in our ways, more comfortable with how things are right now, and sometimes even really wrapped up in ourselves. Life isn't so much about play dates and friends and sleepovers and birthday parties anymore. So I feel like it's pretty commendable that in her older years, when it would have been easy for her to make the excuse that she needed to tend to her family, keep up with her father's watch business, etc., instead she stuck her neck out.
But I think Corrie might have been the first to say that her story didn't really reveal anything remarkable about her. Rather, it served to reveal the character of our remarkable God.
In the midst of at least twice giving her a vision of her fate (a cart carrying her and her family being drawn by four black horses), God also gave her the ingenuity, the strength, the perseverance, the will, and the selflessness to essentially run Haarlem's underground operation, and most importantly the faith to trust Him in all things.
May we not shrink back from the things we are called to do, whatever and whenever they might be, but instead embrace them under the covering of our loving, sovereign God.
Friday, August 06, 2010
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6 comments:
There's something so brilliantly anticlamatic about two spinsters and their 80-year old father running the illegal underground operation. God uses the weak and the seemingly foolish to put the world to shame! I love it!
It also struck me on reading the book this time that Corrie was 50+ years old, living at home, never married, no big experiences--just patiently serving God in her vocation for year after year.Great example of godly obedience and patience in daily life!
Being on vacation/trips pretty much all of last month--made me realize my dependence on the routine of life (For example, schedules make me feel stable and well-planned...knowing what to expect makes me feel like I've got somewhat of a handle on things, etc.). I have had a very uncomfortable realization that I have become dependent on my routines and schedules to feel at all like I am doing what I should do--covering all the bases. I feel a bit lost without knowing what to expect. It seems that I have created a very safe and predictable life that can function with minimal dependence on God-like I'm trying (or have tried) to create a life that squishes out the need to have an every moment dependence on Him. Thank the Lord for showing me this...now it's time to ask the Holy Spirit to shuffle things around and create a life that must depend on Him to live. I get nervous even typing that---because I'm asking for it and God delivers! Teach me to trust Lord...You and not me! Corrie must have had a tremendous trust in God!
Anyone have any thoughts about daily, intense, extravagant trust in God for daily life?
Good stuff, Becky. I'm not sure that I have anything incredibly profound to offer in response to your question, but I'll give it a go :-)
I think that maybe one of the best ways to realize our need for daily, intense, extravagant trust in God is to start thanking him for all the things that happen in our lives, as they happen. I mean, when it comes right down to it, everything that we do and everything that happens to us is under the direct control and care of God, even when we're not acknowledging it.
So maybe a good place to start is by acknowledging. Then we get into the habit of bringing God into everything, and I think we'll begin to see more and more places where "wow, God, thank you so much, that would not have happened without you!"
Does that make any sense?? :-)
Totally makes sense! In fact, this past week...I have had several opportunities to acknowledge God in my circumstances and trust Him in them. For example, I left my house to drive to a friends house and realized that I didn't have my phone...or my GPS... AND I didn't know how to get there. I had to go back home and get the necessary tools to make my trip--which set me back about 25 minutes. Instead of getting all hot and bothered...I thanked God for this little change in my plans and thought that whatever the reason--He knew what He was doing (maybe there would have been an accident? or He wanted to just teach me patience?...etc.). I was able to trust Him in the situation because I acknowledged His hand in it. I just want this to happen all the time...in all sorts of situations, but it's like my brain goes blank and forgets all of this sometimes!
Thanks for pointing out to me thought where it all begins--so I can make an effort to acknowledge Him in everything I experience!
Thank you, Becky, for sharing and giving me a chance to be blessed by the advice Brooke gave as well, because, as a teacher, I'm all about routine...
Jenn, 50+ spinster who was suddenly and spectacularly used by God... reminds me that God likes to wait till we think life's winding down to even begin the greatest works.
Hey Leah! A little more about the routine/faith connection. I want to know more about how these two do/should interact with each other. We each need some level of routine to do our jobs well and yet becoming dependent on routine for our security and feelings of productivity and usefulness is certainly not good! Generally, routine is beneficial and necessary--but it is also necessary to be flexible to what God is doing in each moment and if He works in a way that is out of the normal routine, it is important to respond to Him and whatever He is doing in the moment (I am certainly not typing all of this to teach anyone anything...I am seriously typing through my thoughts to bring clarity to the situation--and would love any feedback that would expand the discussion).
My problem seems even deeper--it seems I rely on MYSELF through my routines and schedules...I make myself the standard for accomplishment and I determine what is worthwhile and needs to be done and then...when...in my own strength, I complete the task I set out to do--I feel productive and on the "right track." It feels like God is minimally involved in this--other then in my attempt to try and line up my plans with what He ultimately wants (which makes me feel like I am doing the christian thing)...but I am missing His involvement in the moment and I am depending on Him only when my plan falls apart or I tire out.
Thank you so much Leah for posting a comment because it caused me to delve back into this topic when I probably would have left it alone. I realize things when I write them out...so this helped a lot:)
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